Henshin
by Silver2010
Summary: The title means transformation. Zolo is injected with an experimental drug. This is a story of his henshin or transformation. Pairings undecided at this time.
1. Luck

**Hello, again. I am back to working on The Uchiha Makeover. I know that whatever explanation I may come up with won't be enough of a reason to not post any stories, updates or new, in years. All I can say is that life happened and I had no real motivation to write anything. This is a story that I had written for a creative writing class. I already have a good start on the second chapter. If there is anything I missed please let me know. I do not own One Piece. It is owned by its creator, Eiichiro Oda. The only things I own are the right to like the show, One Piece merchandise I purchased and having Zolo as my favorite character. I make no profit on this story other than any reviews it may get and satisfaction from writing it. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Pairings are undecided at the moment.**

* * *

"Speaking aloud"

" _Thoughts"_

 **Chapter 1: Luck**

Zolo Roronoa gazed the ocean before him. His movements were jerky as he glanced to the left and right. Faint clinking sounded from the three earrings in his left ear.

 _"Damn it. Whatever they injected me with is still in effect,"_ he thought with a frown. The man's left hand jerked through his moss green hair in irritation. His right hand rested shakily against the three swords on his right hip.

The green haired man glared down the cliff he was currently on. There was about twenty feet of straight rock face before it reached the raging sea below. The side of the cliff had no visible hand holds.

" _Any hand holds there might have been must have been smoothed out by the salty water,"_ Zolo thought. He was disappointed that he couldn't climb down the side of the cliff. There had been no sign of the ship he was looking for either.

" _Damn it,"_ the swordsman thought. _"Where are they?"_

The sea water retreated revealing hundreds of sharp rocks at the bottom. With very little space between the rocks, he couldn't just drop down from the cliff. In his current state, his reflexes wouldn't be fast enough to cut through the rocks before he reached them.

As the water rushed forward again, it crashed against the side of the island. The force made it seem like it wanted to get on the island. Sea water was sent upward higher than when Zolo first arrived. A fine layer of it hit him and caused him to close his dark green eyes. He sighed as he rubbed as much of it off his face as he could.

" _Now I'm wet on top of being drugged,"_ the green eyed male thought as he scowled.

"Where is he?" A voice called.

"He was last seen heading this way," another voice called back. The second voice sounded closer than the first. This grabbed the swordsman's attention. Dark green eyes snapped open as he realized that his pursuers had nearly caught up with him. He risked a glance back at the foliage behind him then scanned his surroundings again.

" _Damn it!"_ Zolo mentally cursed when he found no escape route. The tall bushes rustled behind him and a dozen men stepped from them. They all had lab coats on.

"So you thought you could escape? You are wrong. There is no escape for you. Just be a good boy and surrender. We might even forgive you for trying to escape," a man said with a cold smile. He pulled a syringe while he spoke. The other men smiled just as coldly as the first.

Zolo examined the syringe. It had a purple-black liquid in it. Green eyes narrowed as he decided he wasn't going to allow them to inject him with it. Their first dose was still in his system. He refused to even think about what a second would do to him.

The syringe wielding man stepped forward. This caused the green haired man to step back. It wasn't fear that drove the swordsman's movements, but wariness. He knew the man wasn't intimidating in build or aura. However, that didn't mean he was weak. He was surprisingly quick on his feet.

Zolo doubted he could dodge him right now. Green eyes narrowed in anger as he backed up until he was close to the edge of the cliff. His enemies laughed at his actions. The swordsman glanced behind himself then faced the enemies surrounding him once more. An idea to escape was beginning to form.

"There is nowhere left to run," the syringe wielder gloated. His followers laughed again. Zolo smirked and tipped backwards off the cliff. Hands attempted to grab him, but were too late. His smirk remained in place even as he fell. He rotated as the wind whistled passed him. It rustled his clothes and caused his earrings to clink rapidly. His right hand prevented his swords from clanking together.

There were only two parts to his plan. The first part had been jumping off the cliff. He had just done that. It was the second part that was tricky. This part also had four possible scenarios. If he smacked against the rocks before he could cut them then he would die. The next scenario was that the tide smashed him into the cliff side and killed him on impact. Scenario #3 was that he crashed into the rocks and was drowned when the water came in at the same time. In the last scenario, if he missed the rocks and was swept out to sea, he could swim as far away from the island as possible. It all boiled down to timing and luck.

Zolo noticed the water retreat leaving only the rocks behind. He tensed and gripped the handle of one of his blades.

"Zolo!"A familiar voice called.

The swordsman gazed to his left and saw the ship he had been looking for. He was about to yell back when he noticed a hand stretched toward him. Said hand continued past him and looped around him. He felt the strength of the hold that stopped him momentarily. In that moment, he realized what was going to happen.

" _Shit!"_ It was all he managed before he was yanked toward the ship were the hand originated. Upon arrival, he slammed into the mainmast. His body ached and his vision began to turn black. The green haired man was glad he wasn't dead. However, he made a mental note to beat the one the hand belonged to. He moved into a sitting position dimly noticing that the ship's doctor was asking questions that he couldn't hear.

" _As soon as I recover,"_ Zolo realized as he fell forward. _"I am going to beat him within an inch of his life."_ He felt arms catch him and vibrations as the one who held him spoke. There were no words to match the vibrations though. A familiar darkness pulled at him.

His last conscious thought was, _"What did those guys do to me?"_


	2. Pain

**Here is the next chapter. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favorited and followed. I do not own One Piece. It is owned by its creator, Eiichiro Oda. The only things I own are the right to like the show, One Piece merchandise I purchased and having Zolo as my favorite character. I make no profit on this story other than any reviews it may get and satisfaction from writing it. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Pairings are still undecided.**

* * *

"Speaking aloud"

" _Thoughts"_

 **Chapter 2: Pain**

Zolo slowly stirred. He groaned as he shifted. Pain traveled throughout his body. For a moment he panicked when he recalled nothing. Slowly his memories clicked back into place. When they did, the young man bolted upright. Dark green eyes snapped shut at the blinding pain the action caused.

The green eyed man focused on breathing for several agonizing moments. Once he had the pain at a manageable level, he concentrated on locating its origin. His eyes opened as he realized the pain occupied his entire body. A frown graced the swordsman's face at that fact.

The green haired man also noticed he felt dizzy, nauseous, and had blurry vision. He blinked to clear his eyes and focused on calming his nausea. Once that was achieved, he inspected himself. Through sight all he found was a bandaged torso and a tan blanket that covered his lower half.

Hands lifted to run themselves over his body. After having reached his ribs, the green eyed male realized that they were mostly bruised with one broken on his right side. Searching fingers traveled further, but discovered nothing else out of the ordinary. He had located nothing that would have caused him that much pain. Lips pulled down into a scowl at feeling worse then his wounds warranted.

 _"Damn it! What the hell did those guys do to me?"_ The swordsman thought annoyed when no answers presented themselves.

Dark eyes narrowed as they scanned the room. A confused frown replaced his scowl when all he saw were blurry shapes. He gazed down at his hands but they appeared fuzzy as well. His brows furrowed then lifted in horror as his sight suddenly went black. Hands searched his face frantically but only traced skin.

The green haired man turned his attention from his lost sight to calm the panic that welled within him. After achieving that calm, he evaluated his situation.

 _"I am blind. The reason has to be that injection. They must be using it to blind their potential test subjects."_ A grim expression graced his visage at the thought. He warily examined his other senses and was alarmed at what he found.

 _"I can't hear anything either,"_ Zolo realized. Shoulders tensed at that discovery. It looked like it was going to be even tougher becoming the world's greatest swordsman.

 _"At least I still have my touch, taste and smell,"_ his lips twisted into a bitter smile. He knew better. It would take a lot more than that to become the best. As things looked right now, there was no way that he could be the best. All of his techniques depended on sight and sound.

 _"I'll die if I don't retrain myself,"_ Zolo thought grimly. It was going to be hell figuring out how to defend himself against his enemies. The swordsman was forced to come to terms with one important fact. He had to shelve his dream until he learned to fight without sight and sound.

 _"I have to go back to the basics,"_ the green haired man acknowledged. Sightless eyes closed in resignation at that. There was no other option. It was the only solution to even having a chance at eventually reaching his goal. A tired sigh escaped him.

Zolo jumped and his eyes reopened as a hand grasped his shoulder. He jerked away and that resulted in feeling that debilitating pain again. Using breathing exercises, the newly blinded man managed to calm his panic and control his pain once more. Unfortunately, the hand had remained where it landed.

Wind ruffled his hair and brushed his face as something moved in front of him repeatedly. An irritated frown graced his lips and his hands snapped out. They closed around a large hand. The knowledge that he hadn't known that unsettled him.

Feeling vibrations in the air caused the newly deaf man to turn in that direction. When the vibrations only increased in tempo, the swordsman released the hand he held and tapped his right ear. The hand on his shoulder finally retreated.

Something invaded his ear in the next moment. Green eyes narrowed as he flinched. The green haired male calmed himself as that same hand returned to rub his shoulder reassuringly. He finally recognized the kind touch. It was Chopper, the ship's doctor.

The green eyed man relaxed a little as the doctor's hands carefully examined him. If Chopper was there then he had awakened to allies not enemies. Sharp pain traveled through him when his back was pressed on. Nausea and dizziness swamped him in equal measure seconds later. A choked gasp of pain escaped the green eyed man's lips at the horrible combination.

Large hands guided the young man's head to between his knees. His eyes closed as he worked on controlling his breathing. An unknown amount of time passed before sightless eyes opened once more.

 _"Something is seriously wrong,"_ Zolo dimly deduced. His mind remained unfocused despite his best efforts to clear it. When he was shakily seated upright once more, a hand rubbed his shoulder soothingly.

Something pressed against his lips. Unsure what was offered but trusting the ship's doctor, the shaken man opened his mouth and swallowed what entered. It tasted like herbal water. Relieved at the familiar taste, he drank the rest of the concoction. Upon swallowing the last of it, drowsiness smacked him hard.

 _"Herbal water with a strong sedative and pain reliever mixed in,"_ Zolo realized tiredly as his eyes closed. The pain had disappeared. He tipped backwards. An arm caught, cradled then lowered him onto the bedding beneath him.

A hand had ensured that his head came in contact with a soft surface. His body throbbed dully at the movement, but he still felt no pain. Fingers carded through his hair and he relaxed further. The young man's thoughts were too scattered to care about looking weak to anyone. Darkness dragged the unresisting swordsman under not long after and he knew no more.


	3. Discoveries

**Another chapter completed. Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed, favorited and followed this story. I do not own One Piece. It is owned by its creator, Eiichiro Oda. The only things I own are the right to like the show, One Piece merchandise I purchased and having Zolo as my favorite character. I make no profit on this story other than any reviews it may get and satisfaction from writing it. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Pairings are still undecided.**

"Speaking aloud"

" _Thoughts"_

 **Chapter 3: Discoveries**

Zolo jerked awake. Dark green eyes hesitantly fluttered open. The view that greeted him was unexpected. Instead of a canvas of black, he saw white. Moss green brows furrowed in confusion and lids blinked rapidly. He realized that the white formed a roof above him. Pieces of white wood were pieced together beneath white cloth to form a dome shape around him.

 _"The material is animal hide and teak wood,"_ the nineteen year old realized. He shifted then stilled when it registered what he had done. His body tensed reflexively in preparation for any pain that followed. Brows wrinkled in confusion once more when no agony zipped through him.

 _"What the hell? Where's the pain,"_ the young man questioned. He experimentally shifted but still felt nothing painful not even a dull throb. Dark green eyes widened in surprise then narrowed in determination. He was going to test his newly found freedom. Abruptly he pulled himself into a seated position. The action caused white furred blankets to pool themselves around his waist. A sigh of relief escaped the swordsman at the lack of pain.

 _"What happened to being blind?"_ The green eyed man belatedly thought baffled. Deciding to find an answer to that question later, he pushed it aside to inspect his surroundings.

A tan hide perched on the ground within the structure. The bed of furs he was seated in rested in the middle of the area. Dark green material rested folded next to where he sat. He searched further and found his swords tucked beneath some of his bedding. Green eyes narrowed in distrust but he collected them regardless. Once more, he looked and searched around himself again. Nothing else useful occupied the area.

 _"At least I have my swords,"_ the green haired male thought relieved. While it wasn't very comforting, it was reassuring. At least it meant that those around him underestimated how dangerous he was.

A loud noise captured the swordsman's attention. He acted on instinct and crouched with his swords at the ready. The blanket he was under fell off then settled into the space he vacated. It was a moment later when the young man recognized the noise as laughter.

 _"I can hear again too,"_ the nineteen year old belatedly discovered. A sigh of relief escaped him as he seated himself back on the fur bedding. He had no need to retrain himself now. It would still be a good idea to train on the off chance he lost one or more of his senses again though. The young man glanced down at his swords. Green eyes widened in surprise as he caught sight of himself. He was nude.

 _"How the hell did that happen? Where did my clothes go?"_ Zolo was amazed that he hadn't noticed until now. Carefully he placed his swords next to him. A hand traveled up to his left ear and felt three elongated tear drop earrings there.

 _"I haven't lost them,"_ the swordsman thought. His chest heaved from releasing a powerful sigh of relief.

When he was younger, the guys who had trained with him had bought the earrings for him. At first, he hadn't wanted them. The guys had informed him that it was in celebration for having made and mastered his three sword style. It was also a symbol of their friendship with him. They had also decided to support him achieving his dream. Feeling honored, he had worn them ever since.

Zolo turned his thoughts from the past. The present was much more pressing at the moment. His gaze traveled over his body in search of answers. Brows furrowed in confusion when he found himself without bandages or even bruises. Fortunately, the only thing he noticed that had changed, other than lack of injury, was that he had no clothes on.

 _"I must have been unconscious longer then I realized,"_ the swordsman decided.

The green haired male brushed aside his questions about how long for later. A shape on his left hip snagged his attention. On closer inspection, Zolo found that it was a two tailed fox shaped darkened patch of skin. Fingers brushed the mark, but felt only smooth skin. Eyes narrowed in curiosity but he shrugged it off. As long as it didn't hurt or cause problems then it didn't matter where it came from.

The green haired man inspected the rest of his body but found nothing else out of the ordinary. He shifted his sight to and inspected the green cloth that he noticed earlier. His hands grabbed and raised the fabric into the air. Upon being picked up, it unfolded itself into a pair of pants. It stretched at the waist as well as around the ankles.

Uncaring of the fact that the legs appeared longer then what he usually wore, he slipped them on. Standing up proved that they acted like baggy pants. They appeared to be made with someone taller in mind. He shrugged at that revelation. As long as they covered his lower region that was all that mattered to him.

After green eyed male gathered his swords, he made his way to the only way in or out of the structure. Laughter sounded once more outside. The swordsman inhaled a fortifying breath, squared his shoulders and went through the flap. Zolo stepped out into the new surroundings prepared to face any danger that presented itself.


	4. Time

**Another chapter completed. My apologies for the really late update, but life happened and I also didn't feel any drive to write for a long time. Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed, favorited and followed this story. I do not own One Piece. It is owned by its creator, Eiichiro Oda. The only things I own are the right to like the show, One Piece merchandise I purchased and having Zolo as my favorite character. I make no profit on this story other than any reviews it may get and satisfaction from writing it. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Pairings are still undecided as of this chapter.**

"Speaking aloud"

" _Thoughts"_

 **Chapter 4: Time**

Zolo was shocked. When he had left the tent, he had not been expecting this. It had started out fine. He had exited the tent to find a large village spread out before him. The people that he saw had animal limbs. It appeared that those limbs differed depending on the person, but the species seemed to be the same.

" _Fox limbs maybe?"_ The young man silently questioned. Laughter filled the air once more. A large crowd was gathered, but was looking to his left. Dark green eyes scanned the area to find what was so amusing to the fox people. Shock coursed through the green-eyed male when he saw what was being laughed at.

His grip tightened on his swords once the scene before him fully registered. A young man who looked to be in his late teens was fighting another man who appeared to be twice his age. He had lightly tanned skin, and black eyes. Short black hair was tucked under a battered straw hat. A red vest clung to his slim frame along with knee length blue jean shorts while yellow sandals adorned his feet. He had a scar underneath his left eye that was visible from the swordsman's vantage point.

The older man had a smug smirk on his pale face. Amusement at the youth's plight danced in his grey eyes. A hand raised and tauntingly beckoned the younger man to attack again. Black eyes narrowed as the one they belonged to picked themselves back up and charged once more. His opponent easily avoided the charge and tripped the teen which pitched him forward. This forced the black eyed one to land with a heavy thud.

" _Luffy?"_ The green haired one questioned stunned at the battered state that the younger man was in. It seemed liked the younger man had gone through hell and back. He had cuts that graced his arms and legs. They weren't deep but there were more present then what was healthy. His captain, Luffy, was fighting with more tenacity then the green eyed male had ever seen.

Zolo then realized what was happening. His captain was offered a chance to fight for his freedom. However, the serious look on his face gave away the fact that one or more of their crewmates had also been captured. The normally cheerful male wouldn't be that determined to win unless it was fighting someone who harmed his hat or his crew. Since his hat appeared to be undamaged, the sword wielder deduced it was the latter.

Eyes searched the surrounding area and found to his horror the rest of his crewmates. Their clothes were ripped in multiple places and there appeared to be more blood then there should be. Visible bruises graced their bodies and seemed more discolored then usual. None of them looked like they were conscious either. His gaze hardened at their worn out appearance and then returned to the fight. It was what he suspected. The straw hatted captain was being baited. As far as the swordsman knew, a real hunter had never used this method to capture actual animals.

In this type of baiting, the capturers would release one of the people they had caught. The one released would get two choices. Choice number one would be to flee. This option would give the one released a head start into the surrounding area. It turned into a game of cat and mouse after that. Of course, if that was an option then the capturers had already done something to the released prisoner or another of their captives. The other being was normally someone important to the released. In some cases, the jailers had done something to both of the ones involved.

A second choice the released had was to fight one of their capturers. This option was usually used by large groups. It was also used on captives that have more than one important person being held prisoner with them. Confiners, normally, choose someone drastically more powerful than the imprisoned one. They will then offer freedom to all of those that are captured as well as the released. However, that is only if the chosen person loses to the released prisoner. This gives the capturers a chance to force the captive to come to terms with how powerless they had been to escape. It also ensured that the jailers stomped out any fight within their captives that may have stirred an uprising later. While cruel, it had been proven to be effective.

The swordsman understood the method, but always ended it whenever he could. He refused to let people like them get away with doing that type of thing. It also prevented those he cared about from being exposed to that harsh experience. Unfortunately, the green haired male knew he was too late to protect his crewmates from being placed into that situation.

Anger clouded his gaze as he witnessed his captain get knocked to the ground again. He appeared unable to get back up as well. His opponent smiled smugly at that, which merely added to the green eyed man's fury. Luffy's opponent lifted his arms in victory and the surrounding crowed cheered.

Unnoticed by those around him, a youth seethed. Fingers tightened their grip on the swords at the young man's side. Teeth clenched to keep himself from grinding them as his muscles tensed.

Luffy's opponent lowered his arms and advanced toward the downed male. A sharp clawed hand lifted in preparation to strike a death blow. The swordsman attacked at that moment. His fist made contact with the offender's face which sent his new opponent to kiss the earth. Those around them were stunned into silence. It appeared no one had expected anyone to interfere with what was happening.

"What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?!" The green haired one snapped as he landed easily between the younger youth and the one he had hit. His eyes flashed in his rage.

A black furred tail twitched in annoyance as the other male pushed himself up from his bed of ground. His tail swished to shake out the dirt it had gathered. Hands brushed off the dust that stuck to his black slacks and white dress shirt. Grey eyes narrowed as he focused on Zolo then widened in surprise.

"What are you doing helping one of your tormentors?" Confusion settled on his face. He appeared to not care about being hit. The swordsman frowned at him, but didn't get the chance to answer as he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. Turning around revealed that a different fox tailed inhabitant had picked up and restrained Luffy. Anger returned to the young man as he heard the pained groan that the black haired male released at being lifted.

A swift fist knocked him away and removed his hold from his captain. Another arm wrapped around the injured youth's waist and pulled him into a hard chest. The straw hat bearer released a pained grunt in response. Zolo realized what he had done. He carefully eased his grip to let him breathe easier, because he refused to aggravate the younger man's wounds.

"Sorry." The swordsman grumbled into the black eyed one's ear. He adjusted his swords so they wouldn't be pressed as much into his captain's damaged side.

"Zolo?" Luffy questioned. Dark green eyes snapped to the youth's face. What he noted were the disbelief the emotions disbelief mixed with a faint trace of hope.

" _What the hell happened while I was unconscious?"_ Unfortunately, he knew his question would have to wait. The other man seemed to need reassurance.

"Of course, it's me." Zolo replied voice gruff as he gazed back at him. At this moment, he desired to make his captain smile. However, now wasn't the time to crack jokes even if it might get him one. There was still a chance that it would hurt the straw hat wearers' feelings. He refused to be the reason Luffy frowned.

"I'm so glad you are finally awake." Black eyes welled up with tears as they looked up at the green haired male and then their owner sagged against him in relief. Dark green eyes widened in surprise at the tears. He had never seen his captain cry even when the odds where greatly stacked against them and seemed hopeless.

"How long was I unconscious?" The swordsman asked hoping it wasn't what he thought. Watery eyes lifted up from staring at the shirtless chest before him. Brief confusion traveled across his visage before it left understanding in its wake.

"A month," was the pained whisper that wafted out of his captain's lips. Horror latched onto the older man's face. Now he understood why everyone was in such bad shape.

Another glance at his unconscious crewmates and then the youth in his arms ensured that the impact of the news was all the harder to swallow. He had been unconscious for a month and had left his crewmates, no _family_ , to face these _**bastards**_ without him. It further rubbed his nerves raw as he realized that he was well taken care of while his family had been hurt terribly.

"Why the hell would you hurt _my family_?!" Zolo snarled toward the one black haired male that had been hurting those he cared about.

"Because it looked like they were the ones responsible for hurting you." The black fox replied as shocked surprise gathered in grey eyes. A murmur spread through the onlookers at the swordsman's reaction. It appeared as though none of them had realized that those with him weren't responsible for what happened.

"They weren't trying to hurt me. What they were trying to do was find out what the _hell_ those white coated _**bastards**_ had done to me." Green eyes narrowed as he watched them all flinch at his words. "I don't give a shit what you would have done to them, but I _will not stand_ for _you all_ _hurting_ those I _care_ about." He gestured with his free hand to his unconscious crewmates and glanced down at Luffy. His captain looked awed at the older man. For now the expression was ignored as the swordsman turned his gaze back to those responsible for hurting his loved ones.

"I will not let you _hurt_ my **_family_** any more. I will **_kill_** anyone else who hurts _**my pack**_ regardless of who it may be. **Do you all understand?** " A sharp tone edged his words and appeared to emphasis them more then yelling ever could. His voice caused the crowd and the male who fought Luffy to flinch in unison. As one they all nodded their heads in their acceptance of his decision. With one last vicious glare, Zolo turned his attention back to the teen in his arms. He was unaware of what calling his crew his pack meant to the fox people around him.

Black eyes had a spark of curiosity in them that baffled the swordsman. One of the straw hat bearer's hands left his crewmate's chest and reached up. Fingers gripped a furry green foxlike ear. The green eyed male flinched at the grasp and placed his own hand over his captain's. He paused as he realized his ear shouldn't be that sensitive. His own fingers explored the furry appendage and tugged to try to remove it. A shot of pain coursed through him at the action that forced him to stop tugging. The black haired male quickly replaced the new appendage bearer's hand with his own and rubbed it.

" _What the hell? Why do I have animal ears?"_ He trailed a finger across the sensitive ear once more and felt a tingle of pleasure. His head leaned into his captain's hand as he continued rubbing the swordsman's ear. A purr swelled up in the green eyed male's chest and presented itself audibly for all to hear. When he realized what was going on, the green haired man quickly removed his captain's hand from his ear. A pout graced the younger man's face, but he had not protested.

Blood on Luffy's arm drew Zolo's attention back to the problem at hand. Eyes narrowed at those around them. An eyebrow was raised as he noticed that no one looked happy any more. If anything, they all looked like they regretted their actions and felt guilty. The young man knew that just because they felt like that didn't mean that they were to be trusted. Resolute grey eyes lifted to meet wary dark green.

"How about we give medical aid to all of your pack? It won't earn your forgiveness, but it could be a start. You can watch as they are treated as well." The older male offered.

Distrust filled green eyes at the words. About to reject it, the young adult opened his mouth. Before he could speak, he was poked in the chest and looked down at the one responsible.

"Take him up on his offer." Black eyes were tired but as resolved as the voice that had spoken. His swordsman recognized the look. It meant that it wasn't a request, but an order from his captain. An irritated sigh escaped as green eyes slide shut. They opened once more and gazed at the younger man. Their focus then shifted to the grey eyed male.

"Fine, I'll accept your offer. However, one false move and you're dead." The new feline stated flatly. The black haired fox nodded and gestured to some of his men. They immediately went and freed the rest of the Straw Hats. A female tried taking Luffy from him only to get a growl for her efforts.

"I will carry Luffy." Green eyes narrowed in distrust. He noticed the female flicked her gaze to the grey eyed male in question. He gave a reassuring smile and waved her away. She retreated from the two teens before her. A clawed hand beckoned him to follow after his other crewmates who were being carried away. Hands carefully shifted the injured black haired youth in his arms to bridal style position. He followed his crewmates' unconscious forms while his captain fell asleep in his arms. Zolo silently vowed that should **_any more harm_** come to _**his family** _ then all those present would have **_hell_** to pay.


	5. Guilt

**Another chapter completed. I had a bit of a problem with where I wanted this chapter to go. However, I decided to end it where it felt right to do so. Also I just checked what the viewing number was on this story. I was surprised that I have over 1,000 views. I was really ecstatic when I saw that, because I have never had that many views on any of my stories before. Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed, favorited and followed this story. I do not own One Piece. It is owned by its creator, Eiichiro Oda. The only things I own are the right to like the show, One Piece merchandise I purchased and having Zolo as my favorite character. I make no profit on this story other than any reviews it may get and satisfaction from writing it. Constructive criticism is always welcome. As of right now I am torn between having at least one pairing or making it a family bonding event for the Straw Hats. Let me know if you prefer one over the other. Pairings will be decided, if they are present or not, by the next chapter.**

"Speaking aloud"

" _Thoughts"_

 **Chapter 5: Guilt**

A young black haired male was being bandaged by a brown haired man with fox ears. The young man released a pained groan as the cloth tightened further then was comfortable. His hand resting in comfort on the straw hat that rested on the fur next to him. He seemed to recover easily from the pain.

Despite that, Zolo still narrowed dark green eyes at the brown haired bearer before him in anger. The green eyed male refused to allow anyone else to harm his family. He was unaware of the growl he released.

Brown fox ears flattened as the one they were attached to flinched in response. His hands were luckily steady as he finished wrapping the bandages comfortably on his patient. He moved away from the straw hat possessor with his ears still lowered in submission. His light green eyes showed his nervousness.

Dark green eyes inspected the wrappings around the black haired youth's body. Once he found nothing that he could find fault with, the new fox eared wearer gave a reluctant tilt of acknowledgment of his head.

Light green eyes lightened in happiness at the small nod, but held wariness in their depths as well. The brown fox had no delusions that he wasn't going to be held responsible for not tending to the green haired males' pack while he was unconscious.

Black eyes filled with relief at the sight of bandages wrapped around him. Fingers touched the fabric in reverence like their owner had never had them before. His eyes flicked up to his swordsman in happiness.

" _He acts like he never got bandaged before."_ The swordsman thought confused at the sight then dark green eyes widened in horror.

" _ **Luffy was never bandaged at all for the past month!"**_ The new fox realized and fixed a vicious glare on the brown haired doctor and growled.

Fox ears flattened again as the one they were attached to flinched once more. He knew he was responsible for not taking caring of the new fox's family. His light green eyes flicked to gaze at the fur covered floor in guilt. Eyes closed as he realized that he wouldn't be forgiven any time soon.

Zolo honestly didn't care if the male now regretted what he did. All that matter was what had happened to his family while he was unconscious.

"Zolo?" Luffy questioned. His voice was soft and hesitant. A drastic difference then it usually was. The swordsman grimaced. He had never heard his captain sound so timid before. Dark green eyes silently question the younger man regardless unaware that his growling stopped. Black eyes brightened at the action.

"I am so glad that you are finally awake." The straw hat wearer said relieved as he hugged the older male. His crewmate widened his eyes at the words and actions. Zolo had never seen him act like this before.

" _What the hell happened while I was unconscious?"_ The earring bearer wondered. His arms curled around the youth as he thought. A happy sigh escaped from the dark haired man. Green eyes flicked down to the other and noticed the small smile on his face. His gaze moved to the others as the brown eared fox continued on and treated them.

Determination filled the green haired one. He refused to allow any more harm to come to his loved ones. Eyes continued to keep track of the brown eared one's movements. Once the rest of the crew was tended to, Zolo growled threateningly again at the doctor.

Brown ears lowered in submission as the slightly older male backed away and swiftly left the domed building they were in. Instinct warned the light green eyed fox that it would not be wise to remain around the new feline and his pack any longer.

Satisfied at the male's departure, the green haired man inspected the bandages on the others and found no fault with their appearance. He would protect those he cared about while they healed. It was the least he could do to make up for having slept through what happened. A resolved light entered dark eyes.

"Luffy?" Zolo questioned. This caused the straw hat captain to pull away enough to look up at him in query. Resignation filled the swordsman at what he had to do.

"What happened while I was unconscious?" The nineteen-year old asked, knowing that he couldn't avoid it. It didn't matter if he wanted to deal with the truth or not. What mattered was that he knew so that he helped his pack recover in any way he could.

" _Even if knowing the true hurts and I get overwhelmed with guilt,"_ the green haired male narrowed his eyes as resolve filled them. Hands placed themselves on the new fox eared one's chest. Green eyes focused once more on the younger man and took him in.

" _He looks nervous and scared. What the hell happened to cause Luffy to act like this?"_ He silently wondered. A reassuring smile graced his face toward the other male.

Relief filled tired black eyes as a small smile flickered onto his face. Lips parted to answer Zolo's question. Unfortunately, the swordsman would not get his answers this day. The straw hat bearer tipped forward unexpectedly toward his crewmate. Green eyes widened and their bearer raised his hands quickly to capture the falling one.

" _He must have exhausted himself more than I thought,"_ the sword-wielder determined. After examining his pack mate, a sigh escaped as his expression softened.

" _I'll let him sleep. It looks like he needs it. I won't let anything else happen to the rest of_ _ **my pack**_ _."_ Zolo silently vowed. An arm curled carefully around the injured males' waist as a hand cradled his captain's head. The swordsman slowly lowered the youth's body to settle on the furred floor. Once that was achieved, he pulled a fur blanket onto him to keep him warm. Satisfied that the other was tended to, his green eyes scanned the room again.

This domed building was the same as the one he left earlier. The only difference was that there were more fur blankets. After getting to his feet, he ensured that each of his crewmates had a blanket. His gaze flicked over his family to ensure that they were all safe. He nodded and resettled himself next to his sleeping captain.

The black haired male shifted closer to the new feline. Green eyes examined his captain as the sleeping young man curled his arms around the green haired fox. A sigh escaped the only awake Straw Hat.

Determined eyes focused on the only doorway in the building. There had been enough hurt caused to his family. He would remain on guard to protect everyone. Settling in for a long wait, Zolo Roronoa waited for his crew to wake up.


	6. Fighting

**Another chapter completed. I had a bit of a problem with inspiration for this chapter and life happened to distract me. However, I managed to figure it out and I planned out the next few chapters while I was at it. This time I won't take as long as before to post a new chapter. Hopefully, I can get onto an update schedule soon. As soon as I have that figured out, I will let you all know. Also I just checked what the viewing number was on this story. I was surprised that I have over 1,600 views. I was ecstatic when I saw that, because I hadn't realized that I would get so many people to view this story. Thanks for making my day. Also thanks again to everyone who has reviewed, favorited and followed this story. I do not own One Piece. It is owned by its creator, Eiichiro Oda. The only things I own are the right to like the show, One Piece merchandise I purchased and having Zolo as my favorite character. I make no profit on this story other than any reviews it may get and satisfaction from writing it. Constructive criticism is always welcome. I have decided that I will make this a Zolo/Luffy pairing type of story. If there is anyone who doesn't like the pairing or men being with other men in general then please find another story to read. I will let everyone know if I decide on other pairings.**

"Speaking aloud"

" _Thoughts"_

 **Chapter 6: Fighting**

Zolo Roronoa was bored and angry. It had been hours since Luffy had fallen asleep. The swordsman had kept his silent promise to himself to keep his crew safe. That didn't mean that he couldn't get bored. It also didn't stop him from feeling angry at what had happened.

" _Even if I was unconscious, that is still no excuse to abuse my_ _ **family**_ _,"_ He silently fumed. Dark green eyes examined his crewmates once more. The bandages didn't show any red coming through.

" _At least that means that the wounds aren't as bad as they had looked,"_ the dark eyed male thought. While the rest of the crew was being treated, Zolo had seen how bad they looked with all of the blood. Thankfully the fox medic had cleaned them up and bandaged them properly. Even if he hadn't he would have had to or be faced the green haired man's fury and then been forced to anyway.

" _I am not going to let_ _ **my pack**_ _be harmed anymore,"_ the new fox vowed. A hand lifted up and touched the fox ears that were perched on the top of the swordsman's head. Zolo looked down at where the hand had come from and then smiled softly.

"Hey, Luffy, how did you sleep?" The swordsman asked softly as his own hand lifted to touch his captain's. There was a fascinated look on his captain's face that concerned the unofficial first mate. Moments passed without an answer to his question. When the green eyed male had been about to ask again, the straw hat wearer finally spoke.

"So it wasn't a dream." Luffy murmured. It was pitched low and filled with relief. Zolo was certain that if he hadn't had better hearing then before he wouldn't have heard him.

"Why would you think me being awake was a dream?" was what escaped the older man. He was genuinely curious what the response would be. Brown eyes looked up at him as the green haired fox leaned over the black haired human.

"Because I dreamed about it happening before, and found out it was a dream after waking up to find you were still asleep." Luffy stated softly as his hand gently rubbed Zolo's new fox ear. A purr began to escape the other male's lips, as the straw hat bearer rubbed the furry appendage. When the swordsman realized that the purring was coming from him, he decided not to stop the younger male from rubbing his ear. The soft smile that was on the brown eyed one's lips was too fragile looking and green haired being wanted it to remain for as long as possible.

" _Even if I have to put up with purring,"_ Zolo thought. A smile graced his lips as Luffy continued to rub the new fox's ear and the straw hats' lips pulled into a wide smile.

Noise from outside drew the swordsman's attention. This also caused Luffy to withdraw his hand and tense with his smile fading away. Looking downward clued the green eyed male into the terror that was slowly taking up his captain's face. Fury raced through the older man's body at what was happening.

" _Whoever the fuck had caused Luffy to feel terror will die?"_ The green haired one silently vowed. Dark eyes narrowed on the only way into or out of the healing hut they were in. He refused to let any more harm come to his **pack**.

" _Over my dead body,"_ Zolo silently snarled. His arms protectively cradled his Luffy. Unaware of the significance of the change in thinking, he kept his gaze firmly on the entrance.

Brown eyes widened at the way he was being held. He knew the significance even if his unofficial first mate didn't. His eyes softened as the terror left them and closed as he tucked himself into the older males' chest.

The fox eared one glanced down to ensure that Luffy was alright, saw he looked better than before and looked back at the entrance where the loud voices came from. A voice firmly ended the conversation as a shadow fell over the hut flap. The shadow on the other side of the hut flap reached to open it. Ears flattened to his skull as a warning growl escaped the new fox.

Unfortunately, the intruder refused to heed the territorial sound. The scent that came with the form was male and it was confirmed with the being's appearance. It was a grey haired and fox eared man with light brown skin. He gazed around the healing hut with cold light blue eyes. Finally his eyes settled on an unconscious curly black haired man. It was Usopp. A cruel smirk graced his lips revealing sharp canines.

"What are you doing here?" Zolo demanded. The grey fox ignored him and moved toward the unconscious one. Dark green eyes narrowed at this and gently placed Luffy down on the furs beneath them. He crouched above Luffy in preparation to lunge at the male if he got too close to Usopp. Luffy didn't protest what Zolo did because he was thrilled that his swordsman was awake to protect them.

The swordsman snarled at the light blue eyed male. When the other fox continued to ignore him and reached for Usopp, this caused the green eyed male to lunge. Clawed hands grabbed grey hair and yanked the one it was attached to backward and toward the entrance to the hut. The force used sent the offender through the hut entrance with an enraged man chasing after him.

A snarl escaped the grey fox as he whirled to face the one who attacked him. It didn't register that the man he faced was the same male that the tribe had taken in as one of their own. The green haired male snarled in return.

"What the fuck did you plan to do with Usopp?!" Dark green eyes were furious slits as his tail lashed from side to side.

"I can do anything I want to those filthy humans." The older fox growled. "They deserve that and more."

"That is **my** **pack** that you are talking about. _**They are not filthy**_." Zolo snarled as his clawed fingers flexed.

" _ **They are not**_ _**pack!**_ " Light blue eyes narrowed in raged as his ears flattened. Before the green haired male could reply, the grey furred fox launched himself at him.

Claws flashed as vicious snarls and growls escaped the two foxes. When they finally broke apart, it revealed that the grey haired one had twice as many wounds as the green furred male. Dark green eyes narrowed as they took in the other's expression. Seeing no remorse there, his eyes widened and the swordsman decided on his course of action.

Eyes narrowed once more as he bent low with his arms crossed in front of himself like he had his swords only with his fingers fully extended. When the other man advanced upon him once more, Zolo moved, disappeared and reappeared behind him.

The dark eyed one straightened and no injuries appeared. His opponent, however, developed multiple deep cuts from the green haired one's claws. No one spoke or said a word as the grey haired fox fell to the ground and quickly died from blood loss and the depths of his wounds.

"Anyone else think they have a right to **my pack**?" Zolo growled out at the surrounding crowed. No one spoke a word of protest at what had happened.

"Zolo, come back to the tent."

When the fox looked, he saw it was Luffy who called him. Flattened ears straightened at his captain's presence and words. After one last glance around to ensure there wouldn't be any more challengers, Zolo went to Luffy and pulled him up into his arms. A glance back in warning to anyone else who may try to enter his temporary territory was all that was given before both disappeared back into the hut.

Only Luffy seemed to be aware of the meaning of what had happened. His crewmate seemed unaware of the stance he had just taken in front of the entire village. Zolo resettled his precious cargo onto the furs in the center of the area and remained by his side. Silence descended between the two as they got comfortable with the younger man lying against the older one's chest. Finally, Luffy was the first to break the silence.

"Zolo, do you realize the meaning of what you just did?" He questioned.

"Protect my pack," was the reply he received. This caused the black eyed male to smile in response.

"You just claimed us as your pack which is considered sacred among the fox people here." Luffy explained. "This means that you have given yourself the right to kill anyone who endangers us. No one in the village can go against you regardless of what you decide to do with anyone in the Straw Hat pirates."

About to reply, the Straw Hat wearer's expression registers and Zolo froze in response. What emotions he saw in Luffy's face were excitement, acceptance, relief, warm welcome and a little sadness. It was like the other male had fully given over decision making to Zolo.

"I am not going to be captain of the Straw Hat pirates." The swordsman stated firmly. A sunny smile engulfed the black haired male's face and he gave a curt nod of acceptance in response. Fox ears flicked in irritation at the easy agreement from the other. He was about to ask his Luffy more when he noticed that the black eyed male had gone to back to sleep.

Sighing in resignation at that, dark green eyes took in the others. Surprisingly, none of them were awake yet. It seemed that they were more exhausted then he realized. Zolo settled Luffy more comfortably against himself and resigned himself to waiting once more. He also kept his senses alert to the surrounding area just in case any more village members tried to take members of his pack away from him.

The swordsman decided that if pack was so important to the fox people here then he would take full advantage of that to protect his crew. He refused to let anyone else harm them and would do everything in his power to protect them. It was the least he could do to repay his crewmates for not being there for a full month.

The new fox got a little more comfortable by pulling furs from the floor around himself and his Luffy. Green eyes were thoughtful as he registered that his thinking concerning Luffy had changed. A light shrug was all it warranted since it would help him more effectively protect Luffy.

After the furs were placed, Zolo Roronoa prepared to wait for however long it took everyone to wake up. He was once again unaware of the real meaning behind the change in his thinking about Luffy. Eventually, he would discover the real meaning but for now he had a pack to protect.


End file.
